Flying Carpet: The Soul of an Airplane

Well written and entertaining - plus good photos and maps. Rises above travelogue by virtue of personal/autobiographical touches.

I'm an avid reader, reading quite a variety of books, fiction and non-fiction alike. It's not often that I put a book down after finishing it and wishing it could just go on and on. "Flying Carpet" is a perfect example of that wish. Whether Mr. Brown meant to or not, each chapter had some sort of lesson in it for me. Planning an 'out' for inclement weather, using the airplane as a travel medium or simply having the good judgement to say "Not today, it's not safe". It all sunk in to this newly minted private pilot. In addition to my own signed copy (B & N in Chandler, early November), I purchased one for my CFI as a thank you gift. I gave it to him after landing at Scottsdale, when he met me on the ramp to congratulate me on passing my checkride. After my pilot father-in-law read the first chapter while visiting for Thanksgiving, my wife found another signed copy at the same store for him the following Saturday (ironically while he and I were flying around northern Arizona!). Upon finishing the book, I realized that this wasn't written exclusively for pilots. I thought my mother, who is somewhat reluctant about my newfound love, would benefit greatly from the book. So we found two MORE signed copies, one destined for my mother in Michigan and another for my father in Dallas as Christmas presents. The following February, my mother went up with me and loved it! I suspect this won't be the last of my purchases. The book has become a symbol for me. Instead of explaining why I love to fly, what I can do with the freedom and the joy of it, I simply send them the book with a note: "This is what it's all about. Call me when you'd like to go up sometime!" I'm looking forward to Mr. Brown's future columns in Flight Training magazine as well as new books from his experiences. A very interesting, easy to read book that left me wanting more!

If you're a pilot or have ever dreamed of becoming one, you'll love this book! Greg Brown takes readers into the cockpit of his small plane and shares all the struggles, triumphs and the crazy adventures of a pilot from his novice days through today, with several decades of experience behind him. I found the book immensely readable. The language is simple and straightforward and the stories are broken down into short chapters, each a separate adventure, which is ideal if your reading time is limited. I also liked the variety of stories -- some were harrowing, some were downright hilarious and all of them made me wish I had been along for the ride. Finally, I found this book to be as much about relationships -- father-son, husband-wife, family and friends -- as it is about flying, which really balanced out the book for me. An enormously satisfying read!

A large portion of my life is spent with my nose in a book. I know a good one when I see it, and this is a good one. The moment I opened Flying Carpet: The Soul of an Airplane, I was hooked. Greg Brown's unique talent lies in showing us how airplanes are used in the enterprise of aviation adventure while allowing us to learn some important lessons about flying. Asyou read, you¹ll find yourself buckled in with Greg and heading off to the shores of Lake Winnipeg to watch a solar eclipse or wrestling with ice on your wings or trying to outwit troublesome mountain waves. The adventures are plenty and education always present as you explore many wonderful places across the United States. Flying Carpet is a book for everyone. Pilots will be entertained and wiser for having read it. Those who don¹t fly will learn what it¹s like to share the wings of a skilled aviator. Flying Carpet: The Soul of an Airplane captures the joy, enlightenment and adventure of flying an airplane. Each chapter is a ticket to share some of the extraordinary flying adventures that are the lifeblood of master flight instructor Greg Brown. Beginning with his early development as a pilot, Greg reveals the important lessons that helped mold his ability to make sound aviation decisions. Sandwiched between these valuable lessons are stories about people. Some are pilots. Others simply enjoy and respect those who operate flying machines. As the novice becomes the journeyman and eventually the master, Greg reveals how relationships with people and airplanes ultimatelylead to greater wisdom. No book about flying would be complete if it didn¹t reveal how the use of an airplane expands time and shrinks space, making the distant parts of our extraordinary country more accessible. Flying Carpet does this and much more. It¹s also the tale of a man who evolves to think with the mind of a pilot, question with the curiosity of a philosopher, and see with the eyes of a poet. Buckle in with Greg Brown and head off to chase a solar eclipse or wrestle with ice on your wings or try to outwit troublesome mountain waves. Each chapter of Flying Carpet is a new ticket to extraordinary adventures that transform a pilot from novice to journeyman and eventually, skilled aviator.